A Nicer Way of Doing Things
by PirateFox
Summary: A slightly different take on the scene just after Sam enters the ball and Carter leaves her alone under the disco ball. Basically something to combat Sam's "Designated Hero-ness" and her "Protagonist-Centered Morality."


**Disclaimer** : I do not own the rights to this movie or the characters.

 **A/N** : Just a plot bunny that bit me because the original scene has bugged me for years.

 **Characters** : Sam Montgomery, Terry Anderson, and Austin Ames

 **A Nicer Way of Doing Things**

* * *

"Do you know you are standing precisely in the middle of the dance floor…?"

Sam grinned sheepishly, bowing her head a little in shyness as the…admittedly slightly squeaky voice asked her the question and made her stomach swoop with nerves. She gathered the bulk of her dress in her hands again and slowly turned around to face… Terry Anderson?

"Fate has _brought_ us together right here at this anointed hour under the shimmering disco ball." He continued in his made-up, robotic way and smiling as if all of his dreams had come true. He was wearing a simple, but slightly futuristic trench coat that looked as if he might've created it himself and very large, dark, rectangular glasses with a thin bridge across the nose that had the same home-made appearance. And his hair was slicked back with some kind of gel. What he was supposed to be, she really had no earthly idea.

Sam was completely confused. She honestly couldn't get the text messages on her phone from Nomad to match up to who was in front of her now. She blinked rapidly.

"… _Terry_?" She was unable to keep the surprise out of her tone and she knew she was bobbing her head around as if doing so would prove to herself that she was seeing things. "Are _you_ Nomad?" She had leaned forward in a manner that suggested she didn't want the other dancers hearing her saying the name despite they wouldn't be able to over the loud music. In response, Terry's eyebrows shot up from behind his glasses.

"Nomad?" There was a weighty pause as if he was mentally catching up to something and then he began nodding in affirmation, sweeping off his glasses as he continued. "Indeed. I have traveled through time and space to find you." His whole demeanor was tweaked a bit as if he was suddenly playing a new role that didn't come along with his costume and that befuddled Sam even more. Before she could ask him to elaborate, however, Terry grew serious as he went into his next sentence.

"Now _join_ me in the mating dance of Zion!"

And with that, he was flipping his trench coat open wide, revealing equally dark clothes underneath, and falling fast into a crouch. Sam was absolutely lost on what to do as she watched in stunned silence, the wind from his erratic movements tossing the tight curls of her hair back over her shoulders. Terry then swiftly straightened – glasses somehow ending up back on his nose - standing like a pencil before pin-wheeling all around to the right of her that dissolved into a kind of…step-ball-change shuffle. Sam could only view this in mounting embarrassment, already in the midst of trying to think of a way out of this mess in a refined enough method.

"Uh, Terry that's - nice." She complimented haltingly, but had to stop to keep a nervous smile from forming on her face as the boy in question spread his trench coat high above his shoulders like wings and began cooing as a dove would in her ear. She leaned a little away, taking a chance to glance up at their surrounding classmates who had all stopped dancing to observe the two of them in the smack middle. As she had feared… She didn't have much time to wallow in her shame, however, for Terry had grasped on to her hand and was now swinging her in a wide arc.

"Terry, wait a minute, I –" The protest was just leaving the tip of her tongue, but..,then as she was awkwardly spun into his chest, she got a good look at his own face again…and suddenly her objections died in her heart. Terry was doing his damnedest to keep a straight, stoic expression – to go along with whatever character he was trying to portray, no doubt – but his lips were saying something differently entirely. He had a tight, closed-mouth grin spreading from ear-to-ear that was clearly straining as if he could barely keep some unsaid joy from bursting out. His dreams really _did_ seem to have come true tonight. And Sam had a guilty idea of why this was.

Terry had had a serious infatuation with her since their years in middle school. He would always complement her in the nicest ways possible even on days when she just wanted to kill people because she didn't feel her best, which weren't seldom with a guardian like Fiona. And, unlike Carter, who mostly flattered her to get her spirits up and her mind off her miserable life as a best friend ought, Terry did it because he _wanted to_ and _could_ without knowing her home situation. What's more, Sam could constantly count on him to be sincere with these praises, not that she deserved them in the least.

The thing about Terry, though, was that despite he was a great guy - she was realizing this as he twirled her off of him and they did an awful "Beauty and the Beast' impression with stiff outstretched arms and everything – she just couldn't bring herself to see him as anything more than a pal. She wasn't sure _why_ exactly; she only knew she never was able.

Maybe it was the strange stuff he was into? _Star Trek_ and _Star Wars_ and other space operas that Sam didn't see the point of or the lesson in and, as a result, always brought forth a lukewarm reaction from her when Terry would talk about them in her presence. Or else he was "reporting" through a souped-up walky-talky that he pretended was sending messages from outer space that made her smirk condescendingly with Carter. She just knew it made him happy and that was good enough for her to move on. She had her own dreams to live here on earth while Terry acted his out in a completely separate dimension from hers.

Maybe it was the way he looked? His normally curly black hair greased straight as if with oil made her queasy in the bad way for some ornery reason. And his long nose, while she knew he couldn't help how it appeared, had no chance of attracting her to him just as his similar height to hers never made her feel…safe, perhaps _that_ was the word? Sam usually found herself crushing on guys who were even only a little bit taller and Terry, unless he hit a growth spurt later in life, had been stuck on her level since the seventh grade.

It wasn't right for her to have such high standards in a boy, she was aware, but she did and there was nothing she could do that she felt would help the matter. She had envisioned herself with somebody similar to her father and Terry…just didn't touch anywhere on that vision.

But, Sam pondered as she was continuously, amateurishly pitched around the dance floor…perhaps there was a chance she could _grow_ to love Terry? She had heard from Rhonda stories, sometimes even those of her own, where women's affection for less-than-stellar specimens of the male gender bloomed because they had decent personalities ( _*Like Terry…_ * her brain mentally whispered). If Terry was telling her the truth about being Nomad, then there was no excuse for her to doubt that he would treat her right because he never failed to do so every other day.

And honestly, she was finding herself forgetting about the gawking students circling them. She was even beginning to giggle a bit at the spectacle they obviously made because she had no uncertainty about how _stupid_ they probably looked. With diminutive Terry jumping like a lunatic in a bounce house and emitting alien noises while she was as limp as fish in previous humiliation in his unprofessional arms, it practically _called_ for a spectator's laughter. Sam, however, was quickly forcing herself to get over it. If she had to spend a night here looking like a fool in a white, foofy dress and a thin mask that was hardly doing it's job, at least she had a friend who was willing to lead the shenanigans to keep her company while Carter did his Zorro thing elsewhere.

And, when the time had to come, she could always let Terry down easy if she didn't believe she could settle with him. He was sweet enough, so he would understand she was sure… Right?

Once again, she was not allowed the moment to wonder on this for Terry was positioning her beneath the disco ball again before running behind her and turning his own back to hers so he faced the crowd opposite. Then, reaching his hands out to clutch hers again, he compelled the both of them to struggle counterclockwise. It was just _so_ weird and Sam was obligated to confront the judgmental faces of the kids in school and the muscles in her limbs stinging as they elongated in a stretch to Terry's and his palms were sweating, _ew,_ gross…!

She had to throw back her head and howl as joyfully as she could at the ridiculousness of it all.

Abruptly, she felt the loss of Terry's perspiring fingers and she was almost wasted on what to do just then. The next dizzying spin came sooner than she was ready and she was in a shallow, clumsy dip before she even knew what was going on. She stared up wide-eyed into Terry's dark glasses and he was still beaming that pathetically happy grin and she held a manicured hand to her mouth.

She needed something to drink. _Badly._ When did it get so unbearably _hot_?

"Uh! I-I'm thirsty… I gotta get some punch – " She stammered, her tongue feeling a tad, too thick in her mouth. Terry nodded hurriedly in comprehension, blissfully unware of anything and everything but her. He undeniably thought she was falling under the spell of his 'mating dance.'

"Some libations for the fair maiden?" He asked reverently and Sam was only able to nod hastily in acquiesce, ignoring any snickers she could hear. "Your wish is my command." He concluded in the same worshipful tone as he finally released her. She stumbled a little at the surprise of her freedom, but managed not to trip over the hem of her skirt and fall flat on her butt as she peeked from under her hair at him warily. He whipped his coat around and brought the edge up to his chin for a second in an attempt at mysteriousness before departing through the throng of people with his arms swaying above his head like an ape's.

Sam watched him go, chewing on her inside cheek and tugging at the coils atop her cranium thoughtfully. While she still felt a sense of surrealism at this whole thing, she was resolute in her decision to hang with Terry for the night. She had known Nomad was too good to be true and, though she still could not put the two together in her mind, there was no shame in once again assuring that someone _else_ would be having more of a good time than she. She came searching for an answer and, while she may not be ecstatic with the one she got, Terry had earned her. There were no problems with this whatsoever.

Sam sighed, satisfied.

"Princeton Girl…?" Someone hesitantly questioned at her rear and her stomach dropped out. Biting hard on her bottom lip, she turned as calmly as she could, fighting the déjà vu as she went. Who she came face-to-face with this time around kicked any thoughts of Terry out the proverbial window and she scoffed in utter disbelief.

" _Austin Ames_?" The shock was strong with this one. "You're…Nomad?" Oh, God, Sam could _not_ handle this. He was dressed in all the fine regalia of a prince waiting for his princess, but she could not pay attention to that; only that this person stood for an entire group that made anyone like her or Carter feel like dunces because they weren't 'popular' enough. The bile inside her sloshed about in her disgust of his status. He did not seem to notice her distaste as he looked down at himself in – what she took to be false – modesty, then back to her again.

" _Yeah,_ I guess my costume doesn't do a very good job at hiding who I am." He said in his distinctive, devil-may-care drawl giving her a small, bogusly timid half-smirk she imagined drove most girls he flirted with wild; especially his own girlfriend, queen bee Shelby Cummings. She almost scoffed once more, but achieved in holding it back. Barely.

"No, I…" She shook her head, getting more put-out by the minute. "I know exactly who you are." She paused, hand resting on her hip, examining him for any outward sign that what he was doing was some form of cruel joke, as per expectation. When he just continued to stare back with that infuriating smile aimed at her, Sam closed her eyes and delivered another shake of her head. "I-I'm sorry. This was a really big mistake. I've got to go." And, with as much dignity and apathy as she could muster, she bunched her gown in clenched fingers and marched away to locate Carter as fast as possible. It wasn't too long before she heard boots stamping behind her to catch up above the din of the music.

"Wait! _Wait_!" She feigned not hearing him, just as she had the chuckles earlier, but was coerced into a stop when he startled her by grabbing on to her upper, left arm and pushing in front of her to block her path of escape. "Wait, it's not a mistake." He insisted, moving his offending hand to lightly touch her shoulder to keep her from leaving a second time. Sam narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

"Don't you know who I am?" She inquired, annoyance quickly verging on the brink of becoming pissy. She honestly now just wanted to rush back to the diner before it got too late, before Fiona had a chance to realize she was gone. Austin refused to budge, however.

"Of course, I do…" He wavered, clearly attempting to come up with something – like what her name was – promptly. "You're _Princeton Girl_! You're the girl I've been waiting to meet. I know _exactly_ who you are!" He was beginning to show some desperation, she sensed, trying to save his own butt, and yet her emotions _still_ had the gall to be amazed when he at last finished his gallant monologue with a pitiful: "…What's your name?"

 _*Is he really._ _ **That. BLIND?**_ * There was _no_ way this flimsy, tiny, white mask could hide her identity _that_ well.

Sam was just about to shove him aside, write him off again, when Terry suddenly materialized with a cup of the punch she asked for, having used that uncanny knack of his in being able to locate her anywhere. She gained another influx of guilt: she had nearly absolutely forgotten about him and had been close to disappearing without bestowing an explanation to him.

"You're sweet libations, m'lady." He said in that comfortingly sweet, if mechanical way of his. He didn't seem to have detected Austin just then, despite the fact that the football jock was situated close enough to be shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Austin himself was all, _too_ mindful of the shorter boy in the dark trench coat that had showed out of the blue. He had quirked his eyebrow so hard and so high at Terry's frilly words that it was liable to fly off his forehead if it went up further. Sam's own eyebrows furrowed at the sight of this.

"Mr. ANDerson…" Austin greeted with an amused, almost sarcastic note dripping from his voice. Sam couldn't tell if it was because he was truly entertained by Terry's act or if he was seriously considering Terry as competition for her affections. Terry finally turned to glare up at him and he huffed around an agitated sneer.

" _Austin Ames with m'lady."_ He said, evidently miffed that someone higher up on the social food chain was creeping in on what he already thought of as his. He angled his head to look at Sam again. "Is this cad bothering you, m'darling?" He inquired nobly. "I will be happy to get rid of him for you, if that is what you wish."

Sam's felt her organs twist up again as she felt both of their eyes on her now. They were obviously waiting for her to choose between the two of them to spend her time with. She recalled that earlier she had made up her mind to stay at Terry's side for the duration of the party, but…

She took a risk to glance back at Austin and she found herself yet again dumbfounded at what she saw. He still had that disconcerting eyebrow raised, but his expression had softened into one that was pleading with her to stay with him and give him a chance to be the guy who sent the emails. To be the one who had romanced her through cyberspace. Her cautiousness of him seemed to melt away a bit at this and she veered her attention to Terry once more.

"N-no." She couldn't believe she was doing this. "No, Terry, he isn't. In fact, I think I'd rather go with him tonight, if that's okay. It's just… Terry, I'm so sorry, but I have never been interested in you other than as a friend." Her hands came up to teepee around her mouth and nose for a second in dismay. That had been _much_ harder to do than she had anticipated and it was made worse by the crumpling of Terry's face behind his glasses. She immediately placed a palm on his elbow to hopefully soothe the blow of her rejection.

"But listen! Listen to me, Terry." She took in a deep breath before continuing. "I am grateful for your friendship, I really am. There are times you make me feel good about myself when no one else can and I can always depend on you to make me laugh. You're funny, kind, and so unique, but the problem is I think we're just too different. Our lives take us in completely opposite directions and I just don't think I'm the girl for you." Sam was thankful that Austin was staying quiet as she said all of this to their unlucky schoolmate. He was apparently wise enough to recognize that he was standing in the middle of something that could go either way and mercifully kept his trap shut.

Terry gulped – Sam could see the way his Adam's Apple moved in his throat – and she prayed that he wasn't going to get so upset that it ruined what they _did_ have together.

"And there's…no reason you'd change your mind on this, m'lady?" He asked brokenly and she saw his shoulders slump as she sadly shook her head in the negative "Well… It's a devastating blow to, say the least." He hung his own head for a moment, squeezing lightly on the cup of punch before lifting it again. "Do you suppose…that there _is_ someone out there for a…lonely traveler of the galaxy such as I?" He had again changed character and Sam fidgeted in place as she tried to keep up and play the game as she would on the baseball diamond.

"Yes, I do. And she will be delighted to have your adoration at her feet and will be just as exceptional as you." She replied with pompous authority, smiling in relief as Terry blushed, beaming as well, and she knew things would be alright between them in the end even if it took a while. "So, I'll see you in school?" She questioned optimistically, offering her hand to him. Terry nodded enthusiastically and gave peck from his lips to her knuckles.

"Of course, gentlelady." He said jubilantly, then appeared to reflect on something else until: "And please, forgive me for my deceit of you during our prior meeting... It was unjustifiable." He added in deliberate apology. Sam felt a swell of tenderness at his heartfelt amends, nearly and literally feeling as if it could cause her to get teary-eyed, and nodded her acceptance of it.

In response, Terry then spun on his heel to leave before throwing a glower anew at Austin who surprisingly balked under the heat of it. "You treat her with respect - for if I hear ONE utterance of your dishonor, you'll be getting an earful from _me._ " And then he was gone, dissipating into the crowd as if he were never there. Austin opened his mouth only to close it again, unsure of what to do or say now. It had dawned on him that he could have asked Anderson Princeton Girl's real name, since they were visibly in each other's good graces, but he never got the opportunity and he figured he'd just have to get it from the girl herself. He glanced at the aforementioned female for the next move.

Sam stared back. She was distracted by his weirdo eyebrow again and first thing was first if she was going to see this business through.

" _Please,_ for the love of everything, put that down." She demanded, pointing at his forehead, but she couldn't help a curt, closed-mouth grin when he obeyed instantly.

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes I don't realize when I'm doing it." He said genuinely, brushing abruptly skittish hands over the velvet of his prince costume jacket. As he then clasped those same hands behind his back, Sam checked him closely for any signs of cracks in his amiable demeanor to reveal his real intentions with her. She couldn't find any.

They were both silent for a hot minute.

"What about your girlfriend?" Sam at last challenged. No way would Shelby Cummings approve of her boy toy running around like this in secret. Austin's lips grew into his self-satisfied smirk at this and it intrigued her more than she wanted to admit.

"It's over…" He confessed at length and Sam knew then she was caught up in something there was no backing away from.

* * *

 **Another A/N** : Well, there you have it. My first fanfiction that's not totally steeped in the fantasy side of things (unless you count " **Candle Thief,** " but I don't know). This part in the actual movie has made my skin crawl for years now, ever since I first saw it. I mean, I completely _get_ that she has a right not to feel the same way as her friend, Terry, and I tried to illustrate that here. _Nobody_ should be forced into a relationship they're not wanting to explore. What's always irked me, though, is that Sam in the original scene was just... kind of mean. The way she just kind of scorned him in favor of Austin has always left a bad taste in my mouth and only gets worse with rewatches as I get older.

So, I did the sensible thing and tried to fix it with the power of "WHAT IF IT WENT LIKE THIS INSTEAD!?"

Here, I attempted to stay true to Sam's down-to-earth depiction and had her help Terry understand instead of rebuffing him coldly. Of course, Terry needed to properly apologize for his little white lie about being Nomad as well. Hopefully, I achieved it. If not, please forgive me.

Enjoy the story!


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